Deal or Dud: Non-stick Red Copper Pan

Non-stick cooking with no oil or butter means healthy eating and easy cleanup – if the Red Copper Pan can pass the Deal or Dud test first.

If you're tired of scraping, scrubbing and all that scratching, it might be time to consider copper.

Steve Shank started with some pretty pristine pans, but after he put them through their paces they were non-stick no more. So when he saw the ad for the Red Copper Pan that was said to be non-stick and non-scratch, he gave Deal or Dud a call.

“They make it look so easy with everything they cook -- burnt cheese, syrup,” said Shank. “They just flip it over and it falls out.”

The secret is the ceramic copper-infused cooking surface that's not only slick but sturdy too.

After seasoning the pan as per the instructions, we start with the easiest example from the TV ad: eggs. And before we started, Shank is skeptical.

“Being the pessimist I am, I don't see this working out,” he said.

Yet our egg, without the use of oil or butter, lifted right off the pan and was able to be easily flipped. Just like on the TV ad, it was able to be cleaned with a single wipe.

Burnt cheese was barely a bother. It was out of the pan and on the plate in a snap.

“It's remarkable and it looks like it’s never been used,” said Shank.

Even caramelized sugar that normally leaves a sticky mess poured right out despite the way we intentionally burned it and despite Shank’s cynicism.

“I'm one of those I watch infomercials and I’m like come on there's no way,” he admitted.

And even when we baked on cinnamon biscuits coated in gooey caramel, our results were just like on TV.

What wasn't so impressive was the claim of durability. Shank slaughtered the surface with a fork and the pan was no match for our mixer despite different results on TV.

However just like on the TV ad, the pan didn't become a pancake under the weight of an SUV.

“Despite my better judgment, I'm going to call it a deal,” said Shank.

The folks at Red Copper say their pan is designed to be ultra-tough and point to their lifetime replacement guarantee.  The pan costs $20.